Worshiping at Her Altar
by Kareninas
Summary: Forrest has been in control of everything. Then she comes waltzing in. He never knew that life happened unplanned. He never knew it could feel so good to worship at someone else's altar. Forrest/OC
Forrest woke up in the hospital... again. He looked around and saw that both Howard and Jack were there too. All three of them sporting their own bullet holes from the standoff at the bridge. _What happened to Rakes?_ Forrest spotted an elderly nurse walk timidly by the door. "Ma'am?"

She turned around with a shocked look on her face. "How are you awake? We took six bullets out of you only an hour ago!"

Forrest cringed at the high pitched squeak. After recovering from the pain his tensing had caused, he proceeded. "When can we get out of here?"

In a calmer tone, the nurse replied. "I'll go get Doc Maloney. He can tell you more than I can." She walked away on a mission, not at all seeming to be as timid as she was when he had first spotted her. When Forrest looked out the door, he noticed all of the nurses seemed to be a little edgy. _Shouldn't have become a nurse if you can't handle a little blood._ Forrest thought, assuming that's why everyone was tense.

About twenty minutes later, while still waiting on the nurse and the doctor, he heard the door slam open. A young man ran in. _He must be the new doctor they brought into town. The one from the other side of the hills._ The young man began speaking frantically whispering to the nurses and before long they were running around in a panic. Forrest was only able to catch a snippet of what they were saying. "... she's already on her way. I only got a ten minute... "

A moment later, Maloney came into the room. "Forrest, you and your brothers need to stay for a few days. I know you don't like it, but you three were pretty mangled when you came in." As the doctor was speaking, both Jack and Howard were waking up. "I'm going to give you boys a sedative. A storms coming in in a few minutes and it ain't one anyone can sleep through."

"Don't even think about it, Mal." Forrest glared at the doctor and was surprised to notice he wasn't paying attention. He was just staring at the door.

Jack spoke up, apparently recovering from just having woken up after being shot three times. "We don't need no sedatives doc."

At just that moment the door slammed open again. _Beautiful._ The most beautiful woman Forrest had ever seen came strolling in through the door. She was maybe half a foot shorter than Forrest at his 5'11 height. She was lean and tanned with long brunette hair that was slightly lighter in spots from being touched by the sun. She wore dark leather pants and an odd jacket that had a collar up to just under her chin. What appealed to him the most were her eyes. He couldn't make out the colour, but there was a fire in them that burned hotter than any fire could. She was beautiful in her rage. Yes, the woman who came in was seething with a rage that made any he had ever seen look like a temper tantrum, his own included.

She spotted Doc and came storming over, getting right in his face. If he wasn't so captivated with her, Forrest would have noticed how much the Doc cowered. "Where is he?" Her voice was like a melody.

"You must be-"

She cut him off. "I said where is he? And keep your mouth shut. I don't know what Jim told you, but you keep my business, my business. Now, I'll ask one more time. Where. Is. He?" She was growling at the Doc and Forrest himself felt a shiver at her voice.

"Which one? He said you knew everything..."

"The one who's heart is still beating." Forrest noticed she gave nothing away, which only made him more curious.

The doctor was sputtering for an answer, and was gladly relieved when the new doctor walked in. "He's in the next room over. Listen... I'm sorry..."

"You didn't do a damn thing, Jim. How is he? Is he awake?"

Jim rocked back and forth on his feet. He seemed afraid to answer. "He's alive. He's got a few holes but nothing life threatening."

The woman seemed to accept that as a good answer before she started looking around the medicine cabinet. Forrest felt a slight tinge of jealousy that she was here for a man. A man that was clearly in the standoff. He knew them all, and couldn't help but wonder who got to hold this stunning creature.

"Where are your amphetamines?" Surprising to Jack and Forrest, Jim just walked over and handed them to her. She took a syringe and drew out the liquid. _What on earth is that for?_ "Which room?"

The doctor led her out of the room with her syringes in hand. Forrest looked over at Mal as jack started speaking. "Who was that? I don't think there's another girl more beautiful in the whole world, besides Bertha of course."

"I'm afraid I can't say, Jack. I don't know her name, only the circumstances of why she's here, and she made it pretty clear she wants me to keep my mouth shut. How about that sedative now. If she grabbed the amphetamines, nobody is getting any rest for a while." Mal looked at the Bondurant boys and they shook their heads. They were too curious to change their minds. "Well either way. I gotta sedate Howard. Can't have him wake up and throw a fit."

Forrest didn't protest. He didn't protest because at that moment, Jim came back in the room and the screaming started. _What on earth is going on in there?_

"She wont be done for a while yet." He threw her coat on the chair along with her pants and a dark green shirt. "I appreciate you keeping your mouth shut to the deputies. I know we do it all the time, but right this moment, Satan's work is happening in the next room. And what's worse, I don't feel one bit bad about it."

Mal only nodded and Forrest became more curious. He looked over to see Jack green in the face. The boy never did have a heart for violence. Forrest tapped Mal on the shoulder and motioned towards Jack. Within moments, Jack was out like a light. The elderly nurse came in with tears in her eyes. "Jim, Mal, everyone is sedated. Not a soul will say a thing. The nurses are pooling up for a funeral... if you want to help out. Poor girl."

Forrest mulled that over for the next two hours while he listened to the tortured screams of whoever was in the next room. He knew it wasn't any of his business. He only hoped that God wouldn't frown on him for not intervening. And they were sorry for the girl. The whole situation was an enigma. _Her business is her business. I only hope it ain't anyone I know._

When the screaming stopped, she came into the room. She was soaked head to toe with blood. Forrest felt himself harden. He knew he shouldn't. He knew it was sick to find her alluring in her current state. But it was an animalistic attraction. He wanted to worship at her altar and fall to her feet. She stripped off the doctors apron and the rest of her sodden clothes without a word and Forrest couldn't help but watch. The blood stuck to her skin but he could still see the scars that covered her body. More appeared as the elderly nurse washed her hair in a bowl and helped sponge her down. Her expression was of sorrow and Forrest couldn't figure out why. He looked at Howard and saw he was awake and was clearly watching her in confusion.

A moment later and she was dressed in her jacket and pants. She nodded at Jim and Mal, patted the nurse on the shoulder and left. Everyone still only sat in silence. When Jack woke up, he seemed relieved.

"The screaming stopped I see. How long was I out?"

"Two hours, give or take." Jim responded. He seemed lost in thought but Forrest noticed that his shoulders had relaxed. Now that he thought about it, everyone seemed to be breathing easier.

"What screaming?" Howard finally asked.

"Howard, I ain't never heard anything like it. He was begging for death as soon as it started. Whatever she did, it hurt."

Howard spoke up again. "Who was screaming?"

"That Special Deputy. Rakes is his name, I think."

Jacks fists clenched and he shouted at the man. "That should have been me in there! What right did she have to kill that piece of shit! Why the hell did you let her do that!" Jack was red in the face but both doctors ignored him. Instead they looked to each other.

"Why did you even tell her?"

"Because it was the right thing to do no matter what wrong she's done. Once everyone here was stable, I drove up the mountain to tell her about him. It was hard as hell to find her but I think she must have known something because she appeared out of nowhere. She deserved to know. About what he'd done. About who she would have to bury." Jim said the last words softly. Forrest only slightly understood. Rakes must have taken someone from her. When he looked over at his brothers, he noticed that they both seemed to have a slight bit of recognition. Forrest on the other hand, was still confused.

"Who was she?" Forrest said in a deadly tone. Jim went to say something non committal but Howard interrupted.

"You know who she is, even if you don't know her. Cricket used to talk about her all the time." Howard's voice was pained and Jack seemed resigned.

Forrest thought about someone that Cricket talked about. Then it hit him. His sister. Cricket had a sister. She had a different father and was ten years older, but Cricket spoke of her as though the sun and moon revolved around her. He recalled a story that Cricket once told about how she had been the one to kill his parents after their mother had tried to drown him in a barrel of water when he became a cripple. He also claimed that his sister was a Goddess among men. People would do wrong and she was there to strike them down.

He only hoped to see that. If she was killing off everyone who was there, he had a hope of seeing her again. If not, he would find her. He couldn't not.

* * *

The Bondurant boys arrived home at the end of the week. They opened up and resumed business right away. The funeral for Cricket was on Sunday which left two days for Forrest to think about her. He grieved for Cricket just like his brothers, but found that if Cricket worshiped her, he wasn't slighting him with his own admiration. Word spread fast and by lunch, people were rolling in. Forrest had been so wrapped up in his thoughts of the woman that he didn't even notice that Maggie had gone until Jack asked for help cooking. He wasn't upset, nor was he surprised. He knew things wouldn't have worked between them. She wanted him to be someone he wasn't and he wanted a woman who understood and accepted him. That was never going to change.

The door opened up and Forrest tensed. Walking in were the two idiot deputies that stood by as Rakes wreaked havoc on the county and the arrogant nance who caused everything in the first place, Mason Wardell. Jack was already limping towards the shotgun but Forrest warned him off it. He wanted to see what they would do. They walked to a table and sat down, motioning for Forrest to come closer. Deciding to play along, he walked over and stood before them, Howard approaching at the same time.

"Hello, boys. Glad to see you're healing up well." They only nodded, not saying a word. "I'll make this quick. Despite recent events, everything still stands. You need to play ball or things will only get worse."

Forrest noticed that he seemed a little on edge. Glancing at the door, looking for a threat. Both the deputies were doing the same. As if on que, as Forrest looked through the window, he spotted her. Crow bar in hand and gaining quickly. He motioned towards Howard to look and when he did, both the brothers nodded in understanding. As soon as the door swung open the brothers held down the deputees before they could escape.

"Wardell." She only spoke one word but Forrest found she sounded even more melodious than the last time.

Mr. Wardell went to bolt but she was on him in a second. Everyone in the room had stopped eating and was watching it all unfold. She swung the crow bar on him and there was a loud shriek that erupted. The deputies were frozen in place as she continued to beat the man. Swing after swing, scream after scream, she didn't stop. When he lay on the ground barely holding onto life, she started bashing in his skull. Blood sprayed her face but it didn't affect her one bit. When he was no longer recognizable, she stopped. Even after killing him, she was so composed. She turned to the deputies.

"You boys are going to live." Forrest was confused, if only for a moment, but was quickly understanding when she continued on. "You stood idle as the man killed my brother. Your duty to protect your people put aside for a quick dollar from this slimy nance." She kicked Wardell's corpse. "You're going to remember that until the day you die. Do you know what symbolism is? Well let me tell you what is going to happen before we get started. You chose not to protect others, so I will take your ability to protect yourself. Every day you will suffer pain and the reminder of my brother. You will pray for death but it wont come. You can try to end your life, but you will be remembered as a coward and your own sons will suffer for it. The moment you kissed that mans ass was the day you ruined the life you had hoped to build for you and everyone you hold dear."

Forrest was taken with her. She was beautiful, intelligent, and fierce.

"Put your hands on the table." Unsurprisingly, they did as told. She lifted the crowbar and proceeded to smash their hands until every bone was broken, and then she started on his arms. He had a feeling they weren't going to heal right. Hell, the doctors probably wouldn't even help them. They screamed and tried to pull away, put both the boys held them in place. After that, she shattered the bones in their left legs, as a reminder of Cricket. Then she left. The patrons helped to remove the corpse and the deputies and life proceeded as normal.

 _ **One year later**_

Forrest spent a lot of time up in the mountains, no longer spending time with his numbers or worrying about the shine business. Jack and Howard took over everything and Forrest just made the shine. When he moved the stills up, his brothers had prodded at him, poking fun about why he would. He could lie to everyone... except himself. He had moved them in hopes of seeing _her_ again. He still didn't know her name and his brothers had made sure to have their fun by not letting him know.

He spent endless days and nights wandering, hoping to find her. And then one day, she found him. He felt like a fresh of breath air had invaded him when she emerged. Like he had been holding his breath since the day she left the station and could finally breathe again. He didn't know why, he had only met her twice, but he supposed it was for the same reason he wandered. He was infatuated. Wholeheartedly infatuated. She was smirking at him and his neck and cheeks flushed.

"I finally figured it out." She said. Forrest gave her a quizzical look. "I figured out why you're always up here." If Forrest was flushed before, he was ten shades of red now. "You've been looking for me."

He nodded.

"Why?"

"I... I don't know." He felt himself gravitate towards her.

"Who are you anyhow?" She seemed like she didn't know his name either.

"Forrest Bondurant." Recognition flowed through her.

"Everett loved you. Thought you were invincible." She was smiling fondly.

"You mean Cricket?" Her smile only grew. She nodded. "He talked about you all the time. Thought the world revolved around you."

Her face flashed with pain before she smiled again. "He once told me that. He said 'Ellie, you're a hero. You're my hero. Of course Forrest is my hero, too.' He kept telling me I had to meet you one day. You and Jack and Howard."

Forrest felt guilt. Cricket asked him often to meet his sister. The answer was always no. He had let him down. Before Forrest knew it, he felt his arms around her. Her jacket was soft and her body melted into his. They knew it shouldn't, not while they were talking about her brother, but neither one moved to stop it. "I've thought about you. Every day for the past year."

She nodded in response and Forrest knew she had done the same. "I thought about coming back the next day, but I just..." She stood back from him at her own admission, but gently took his hand and started to lead him. He didn't know where she was taking him, but he didn't much care. He only had eyes for her. For a while they walked in silence until they came to a little shack in the woods with a well beside it. There was no electricity, but he was willing to bet that she liked it that way.

They stepped through the door and he took in his surroundings. There were two beds on opposite sides of the room and a door leading out back. A tub sat in the corner with a fireplace and table along the wall beside the door. A dresser sat in the other corner and a rocking chair beside it. Above that was a wooden board that acted as a loft bed. He thought it reminded him of a hunting shack.

"It's where Everett and I were raised. My father owned it. When he died, our mother stayed, addicted to a life of the wild. When he died, my mother found another man who came. Thus my brother was born. He ever tell you why his leg was all messed up?" Forrest shook his head. "When he was six, he rolled out of the loft bed. Shattered the bones in his leg. They wouldn't take him to the hospital. It healed wrong, and after a year of him not walking right, they tried to drown him in a barrel of rain water."

Forrest came to her and sat with her on the bed.

"I killed them both that day. I was seventeen. But all I could think of was saving him. They were more animal than the ones we hunted. Had gone crazy with the survivalist mentality. My daddy, before he died, taught me that surviving wasn't about shutting away the world, it was about respecting it and protecting the weak. A life of selfishness isn't a life at all."

She had stopped talking and Forrest's heart lurched. He remembered a man who had told him the same thing when he was a young boy. He had been a friend of his fathers. He was taken by the influenza as well. "I remember him. He was a good man."

Ellie looked in his eyes, as if asking if he knew her father. He nodded. She smiled at him nostalgically. "I haven't stopped dreaming about you. The way you looked at me. You're eyes watching my every move. Your hands that told me everything you were feeling, almost what you were thinking."

Forrest hadn't realized she had been watching him too. He looked down at his hands, and then he watched as she touched them. Slowly rubbing her fingers over his callouses. Then drifting up his fore arms, then his biceps, and finally his broad and muscled shoulders. His eyes trailed her movements and before he could stop himself, he growled. When he looked in her eyes, they were dark and hooded with lust. He could tell that she was feeling the same primal instinct that he was. Within seconds, his hands were all over her. Their lips crashed together in a heated kiss. Her lips were soft and yet ferocious as they devoured him. He knew that any other man would try to dominate her, but he only wanted to worship her. She ripped his shirt off of him, leaving the torn pieces on the ground. When she started with her jacket, he took the opportunity to study her neck. She had a necklace of scar tissue that matched his own. He should have been angry, but instead, he only wanted her more.

As the clothing was discarded, they explored each others bodies. Both of them were covered in scars. Each with a victory to tell and a spot to lick, kiss or bite. Soon they were simply writhing against one another. Taking pleasure in the sensual touching from him and the rough and dominating movements from her. Forrest was hard, and as he touched her in the most intimate of ways, he felt how soaked she was for him. She moaned as he circled her clit with his thumb and drove two of his fingers into her entrance. He could feel her walls quivering already. As she rolled her hips against his hand, she called out his name over and over again.

He wanted to see her come undone. The light was streaming in from the window and he could see her perfectly. He picked up his pace and increased the pressure. She started moaning even louder. "Fuck Ellie. Come for me." And she did. He watched her face as she basked in her ecstasy. He continued to slowly move his thumb against her clit to prolong her orgasm until in finally subsided. Instead of crumbling into him like most women would, she grabbed a hold of his length and lined it up with her entrance. As she glided down, she looked him in the eyes. He was growling like an animal again. He had been without even noticing it before as he pleasured her with his hand.

She rode him hard and fast. Each time she came down on him, she would bite or like or kiss his neck, marking him like the wild thing she was. When she started to clamp around him, he felt like he could no longer last. What really did him in was what she said to him right before she came for the second time. "I." She bit his neck. "Own." She sucked hard on his lip, biting it hard. "You." She kissed him hard. His blood on their lips as he emptied inside her.

They collapsed into the bed together, breathing heavily. Forrest fully taking in his situation. He never intended to marry. He never intended to live the high life either. He wanted to protect his brothers and build a life for them. Not himself. Now though, he thought differently. He would protect his brothers, and anyone else who needed it. His brothers had lives to live and were old enough to make it in the world. Howard had sobered up and gotten a job in a lumber mill. Jack had married Bertha and had taken over the station. Forrest spent his days wandering the mountains making moonshine and hoping to see the woman who haunted his dreams, both awake and asleep. She had said that she owned him.

"I'm okay with that."


End file.
